Shadow Run
by The Black Flamingo101
Summary: Based on the 1989 Shadow Run RPG. In cyberpunk post-war Tokyo, a young freelancer is dragged into the depths of the corrupt corporate underworld when he crosses the man at it's helm. Now he must either fight for his free will or be consumed by the dark bidding of his Master. Heavy warnings. MATURE.
1. Chapter 1

**As my readers know, I am an avid fanfic writer...or at least I am lately. What you may not know is when I'm not writing, I am an avid Role playing gamer. Now I'm not talking about video games, I'm talking about classic tabletop games with character sheets and seven types of dice. Such as Dungeons and Dragons, World of Darkness, and Gamma World (which is my fav!). **

**In the meanwhile, I have been racking my brain for years for a good idea for a viewfinder fic. After all, how can one compete with such good plot lines? And now, I have found my angle. **

**This fic is based on the original 1989 Shadow Run RPG and believe that it's a very complicated game. It's kind of a mix of cyberpunk, classic fantasy, and organized crime. I am trying to keep both the RPG setting and Manga in canon, but we're gonna come across a lot of slang and other things that may be quite new to some readers. Though I will do my best to explain everything, which is why we're starting with a bit of history. **

**My reference for all this is the 1st Edition Shadow Run Player's Handbook, which you can download for free if you're interested, or you can simply leave a review and ask some questions.**

**Now I will warn you, we're going to get into some heavy stuff. If things like crime, gore,explicit drugs, and or sexual bondage offend you...then I don't know why you're here. Stay away.**

**If you're into cyberpunk or not, I hope you enjoy. **

**Cyber Kisses!**

**TBF101**

* * *

><p><strong>Shadow Run<strong>

**A Viewfinder Fanfic**

**By TBF101**

**Prologue**

The year is 2050, and the world is very different place. The world has always been dark, and that has not changed. It merely the fact that it's shadow has grown longer. And the series of events that led to this lengthened night began with what they call "the awakening."

In a world ruled by science and machine, something happened that roused an unexplainable event, and at the bow of its ship was none other than the estranged sister of science: magic. After three thousand years of being suppressed, the mighty force broke free of its bonds and brought the supernatural back into being. The denizens of earth who were called shed their human skins and gave birth to ancient races: orc, dwarf, troll, and elf. But what followed the awakening was the opposite of advancement. War broke between oppressed and oppressor, plagues and starvation went rampant, and world governments crumbled into dust.

A darker age descended on man, but in death and suffering, one can only learn to be stronger. The humans of the world proved to be a hardy race themselves as they slowly climbed their way back to stability. What followed was the second renaissance of cybertechnology and spiritualism. The old communications gave way to a new creation known as the Matrix. Governments were replaced by Mega-Corporations, and offered protection to those who would submit, while eradicating those who wouldn't with powerful armies.

But in any age, there are always those who deviate from the norm. The outcast, lowlifes of society hold their own place as well, lingering in the growing shadows. And when a corporation doesn't want to do the dirty work, they are called.

The shadow runners.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 1**

**Operation**

No moon shone in the skies that night in Tokyo, and even the streetlamps appeared dimmer. Few vehicles drove the streets and no one was crazy enough to go on foot. And yet, despite the surroundings, the city was quite active tonight. Business was afoot.

The warehouse on the wharf opened its doors as a large boat came to dock, and several dwarves and trolls scurried to help unload its cargo. Tetsu, the leader of tonight's operation sat in a Benz about a block away, eyeing the tradeoff. 30 kilos of uncut cocaine, all stashed in small bags inside cheaply made stuffed panda bears. The boss would be pleased, if the shipment came through. Despite the fact that everything was going as planned, Tetsu felt the hard sting of suspicion in his thoughts, and quickly took out a pack of cigs. He lit one and puffed greedily, trying to keep his calm as he watched the last of the cargo being loaded onto palates and taken inside the warehouse. In a city like this crawling with creatures of the night, one could never be too careful.

Tetsu's nerves nearly burst when his communicator rang. He put the earpiece in and answered.

"This better be good news."

"We've got movement in the northern sector," one of his associates said. "We're sending special forces there as we speak."

"Shoot on sight," Tetsu said bluntly. "This operation is far too great to be jeopardized."

"Team Alpha, coming in," said a third voice.

"What's your status?" Tetsu said, beads of sweat gathering on his forehead.

"It was just a dog, sir," Alpha replied. "There's no one here."

Tetsu sighed with relief. "Head back, Alpha, but stay alert."

Alpha complied, and Tetsu turned back to look at the warehouse, but when he did, something caught his eye. He cocked his head as he watched one of the warehouse workers take a box from the palate, opening it.

"Nobu! What the hell is that guy doing?" he barked into his earpiece. He saw several of his men confront the worker, who shrugged.

"He says the box looked damaged and he was checking to see if the contents were okay," Nobu replied.

"That's not his job," Tetsu growled. "Just get the shipment in the truck so we can get the hell out of here."

Tetsu watched the worker like a hawk as he began to shut the box, but his eyes went wide when one of the pandas flew out of the box and shot towards the ceiling. Tetsu looked to the top of the warehouse and saw a vague shadow at its peak.

"Fuck! Get Alpha to the roof! We might have a mage on our hands!"

"Copy, leader!" Alpha replied. "Move! Move!"

The heavily armed team quickly surrounded the building and Tetsu strained forward to see. There were no ladders to the roof and they had cameras everywhere. How on earth had someone gotten up there without them knowing?

Tetsu willed himself to calm down, knowing that the company SWAT teams were more than capable of handling a single person, but the fact that this individual most likely had magical powers concerned him. Was he a shadow runner from a rival corporation?

"Sir!" Alpha's voice sounded through the earpiece. "We've completely surrounded the building and a chopper will be here in minutes. We won't let him get away."

* * *

><p>From atop the warehouse, the lone figure stood, glancing down at the ground as the wind teased the hood he wore over his head.<p>

"Shit," he remarked. "Ghost wasn't kidding about this one."

He took his eyes off the SWAT team for a brief second to look at the stuffed panda in his hand. A careful rip through the seams proved that toys were indeed not child friendly, and he knew he had his scoop.

The figure lifted his head as the wind picked up and he heard the sounds of a helicopter approaching from the east.

"Time to go," he said to the panda, slipping it into his backpack and carefully making his way to the edge of the arched roof. He blinked as high powered flashlights shone in his face and an amplified voice spoke.

"We have the building surrounded. Don't make a move or you will be shot!"

The individual raised an eyebrow. They certainly weren't kidding. That corp SWAT team sported AK 97 rifles, all with the latest upgrades, and he knew it was time to haul ass before he became a bloody, pulpy mess.

He took a deep breath, preparing himself for a moment before racing to the edge of the building.

"Fire!" Alpha commanded as the figure leapt off the edge of the warehouse and plummeted towards the ground. But right before he hit the concrete, the intruder's body slowed in midair, giving him just enough leeway to land safely almost twenty feet from the SWAT team. Bullets zinged through the air as the soldiers open fired, and the figure quickly dashed for cover behind the next warehouse. He closed his eyes and concentrated his mana, his magical energy, and his mind became a map of his surroundings, showing every building, every person, and every escape route. Within seconds he had his chosen path and bolted, and it was only a matter of minutes before he had disappeared into the night.

"Sir!" Alpha said to Tetsu, who was all but panicking in the limo. "He's gone! We can't find him!"

"Search everywhere!" Tetsu yelled. "Cover this whole sector if you have to! I want him found!"

"We've already tried, Sir! It's like he vanished!"

Tetsu leaned back on his seat, sweat drops rolling off his jaw as he realized the full implications of the situation. The boss would not be pleased.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 2**

**Ghost**

"Whew," the young man breathed as he made it to one of his many convenient hiding spots, this one an abandoned house about five miles from the wharf. He set his backpack aside and quickly changed out of his black clothes into something more street worthy. After stuffing them inside a duffel, he took his gear and made his way over to the garage where his Yamaha Rapier motorbike was waiting. The engine roared to life as the garage opened and the bike zoomed onto the almost empty streets, heading north.

As he rode, he felt his heartbeat slow and the adrenaline rush fade as the drain took over. Using magic was costly, and his body felt heavy from the fatigue on top of all that running. He shook his head and willed himself to stay awake as he rode for almost an hour, finally making it to a rundown apartment building hidden away in a residential district. Although he knew Ghost could afford better digs, the decker, like himself, preferred to go more incognito. And in a city full of incognitos, it was the perfect way to hide.

The young man parked his bike and walked up to the entrance, pressing a button on the telecommunicator. A brief look at his face was all he needed for the resident to buzz the door open. He slowly made his way up the stairs and knocked on the door He heard several locks click before it opened and the second he stepped inside he went over to the couch and plopped down, breathing heavily.

"Rough night?" a cool voice said.

"You have no idea," he replied.

Ghost raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms. "Did you get it, Finder?"

Finder tapped the side of his head with a slight smile. "Oh yeah."

"Good," she said, running her fingers through her chin length purple hair. "Get your ass off the couch so I can get the data."

Finder sighed and wearily got up, going over to the decker and inclining the left side of his head towards her. Ghost took a data jack and plugged it into the port behind his ear, hooking up the other end to her deck. She did the same to herself and watched the footage for Finder's bioware eyes that recorded everything he seen that night. She was quite pleased.

"You got everything I needed and more," she said, taking out the data jack from Finder's head. "You're use of angles is quite artistic."

Finder smiled back and went to sit back on the couch. Ghost kept watching the memories, taking key shots and uploading them to her deck's memory. Finder watched her with curiosity. Though he did most of his dealings with deckers, they were strange people whose abilities were boundless within the Matrix.

In layman's terms, the Matrix was a computer generated, symbolic representation of the Grid, the world information network. It allowed physical people to become one with it through special computers, or decks, and bypass all manual action. When a techomancer, or decker, plugged into the Matrix, they had every search engine, every piece of data within their reach. And new information made quite a bit of money.

Ghost unplugged her data jack and turned to Finder.

"Are you planning on selling this footage to the media?"

"Of course. Can you make me a data disc?"

She nodded, already working on it. "I've contacted our Johnson. He's sending the nyugen right now."

Finder nodded, closing his eyes for a brief moment while Ghost finalized the payment and put it on a cred stick.

"Here," she said, handing it to him. "Ten thousand nyugen."

Finder rubbed the cred stick between his fingers, looking over to a window as he spoke. "How's your sister doing?"

For the first time, Ghost's stoic face fell and she sighed. "She's been fighting at school again. She's reckless, just like I was at that age."

Finder nodded, and set the cred stick on the table. "I really only need four. Keep the rest."

Ghost's brow flickered in irritation. "I don't take handouts, Finder. You know that."

"You have your sister to take care of. Think about her."

Ghost's eyes softened and she sighed, taking the cred stick and going back to her computer. "We'll split it in half."

"Fine. Oh yes, I also have something else," Finder said, taking his backpack and pulling out the stuffed bear. He dug into the stuffing until he found a small plastic bag and pulled it out. He set it on the table and Ghost's painted eyes widened.

"It has to be at least 16th of an ounce," he said. "Take it. With your fences it should sell pretty quickly."

Ghost thought long and hard about the offer. While it was risky to take hot loot that had just been stolen, that amount of coke would buy her and her sister financial ease for quite a while.

"I don't know if you're generous or just stupid," she remarked as she took the bag and slipped it back into the bear. "Stupid, probably."

"Well, you wouldn't be the first one to call me that," Finder replied without interest. "Can I crash here tonight?"

"No," she said flatly.

"Didn't think so," Finder sighed, heaving himself up and heading for the door. "Ring me if anything comes up."

"Sure," she said, watching him go. She locked the door behind him and went to sit at her desk, her chin resting on her elbow. Although she had worked with many freelancers in her time, Finder always seemed to stick out somehow. He was stupid and far too relaxed to be in his kind of work, and yet his jobs were always successful. And in a world were kindness was weakness, he was a strange concoction. Ghost's fingers tapped the desk in thought and it was then that she realized something. She groaned under her breath and rolled her eyes.

That idiot forgot his cred stick.

* * *

><p>"Mr. President," Tetsu said as he bowed his forehead to the floor. "I take full responsibility for what happened tonight. I should have made sure the area was more secure. Please, forgive me!"<p>

Standing at the window, a tall man in a suit took out a stainless steel lighter and lit the cigar in his mouth.

"Are the rest of the goods harmed?" he said in a toneless voice that sent shivers down Tetsu's spine.

"No, Asami-sama," Tetsu replied. "It was delivered safely, save that one bear."

"And this 'intruder' you described," Asami said. "What did he look like?"

"Human mostly likely, sir. Young man about average height with blond hair. He possessed magical capabilities such as levitation and possibly clairvoyance."

"That's not good enough," Asami said.

Tetsu swallowed hard.

"Have the media stations been taken care of?" Asami asked, taking another drag.

"Yes, sir. All the footage was confiscated. We have it in our possession. However, we were not able to stop it from being uploaded to the Matrix. We're trying to track the user, but the signal keeps getting scrambled, so I think we're dealing with a decker."

"Show me," Asami commanded. Tetsu quickly brought a hologram up and played the footage, and Asami tilted his head as he watched it. Whoever this person was, he was strange. No firearms or defensive magic were used and it seemed as though the intruder found his escape path at the last minute. Only an amateur or a complete imbecile would be that negligent, but Asami wasn't swayed one way or the other.

"There is a possibly that he could be a rival shadow runner, Asami-sama," Tetsu offered.

Asami shook his head. "This is no shadow runner. He fits the description of one, but their kind prefer to work in pairs or groups, especially with a mission of this caliber. They also value their own security, and as such always have firearms or swords or powerful magic.

"Our intruder is likely a freelancer affiliated with the media and a skilled decker or two on the side who broadcasts it on the Matrix."

Tetsu's brow lifted at Asami's theory, which he didn't doubt in the slightest. There were many reasons why Asami Ryuichi was the underworld lord of Tokyo, and one particular one was that he had keen perception when it came to people and how to manipulate them.

"Your orders, sir?"

"I want forensics mages up on that roof," Asami replied. "If he used magic to get up there, they'll be able to detect and possibly track him. Get on it."

Tetsu bowed and began to head to the office door, never happier to be alive.

"Oh, and Tetsu," Asami said.

Tetsu froze. "Y-Yes, Mr. President?"

"Let's be clear on one thing: I want this one alive."

"Of—Of course, sir. Excuse me."

Tetsu left in short order and Asami turned back of the window, staring out at the skyline. A flicker of a dangerous smile crossed the man's face, like a panther who had just spotted prey.

"Well then, amateur," he murmured. "Let the hunt begin."

* * *

><p><strong>I hope everyone enjoyed the first few chapters! Interesting fact, Ghost is actually one of my own creations for a Shadowrun campaign. I hope to have another of my SR characters appear sometime, but it probably won't be for a while. <strong>

**Hope to hear from you all! :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Squee! Thank you all for the reviews and favs! Here's your reward.**

**Love,**

**TBF101**

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><p><strong>Chapter 3<strong>

**Stakeout**

Finder was still sleeping well into the afternoon the next day. The black screen drawn over the window kept out all invading light and left him in a cocoon of darkness. He had barely made it back to his apartment last night before collapsing, and was sleeping like a rock. So much so that he'd missed three calls.

But when his phone rang a fourth time, his eyelids cracked open and he fumbled to get it out of his jacket pocket. He lay back down, closed his eyes, and spoke.

"Hello?"

"Finder, its Ghost."

"Why are you calling me so early?" he muttered. "You know I had a late night."

"I have a job for you. Tonight," she replied.

Finder's eyes flickered open when she spoke. He couldn't put his finger on it, but her voice somehow sounded strained.

"Is everything okay?" he asked.

Ghost cleared her throat. "Everything is fine. Now onto business."

"All right, all right," he moaned. "What's the gig?"

"According to the Johnson, there's a rumor going around that the Renraku corporation is bringing in a shipment of live goods."

Finder's eyes widened at the mention of the biggest megacorp in Japan and the fact that live goods were typically human.

"Sex slaves," he said.

"Probably," Ghost continued. "We don't know where or when. But Mr. Johnson has suspicions that it will be disguised as a cattle transporter. I'm sending the data of every location in the city that deals with livestock to you. He wants you to check out the Shinjuku one first. He'll pay you 15k if you manage to find the shipment and more if you can get some good snooping in."

"Seems fair," Finder replied. "I'll get on it tonight. Now will you let me get back to my beauty sleep?"

"Sure," she said. A moment of silence followed for a second, almost as if Ghost had something she wanted to say.

"Finder," she finally spoke.

"Yes?"

"Be careful…don't do anything stupid."

Finder heard the call drop and he peered at the screen on his phone, wondering what the hell that was for. But too tired to care, he set his phone on the floor next to his futon and went back to slumberland.

* * *

><p>"There, I've done as you asked," Ghost said tersely. "I can play back the call if you want."<p>

"No need," a cold voice spoke.

The decker suddenly gasped and gripped the armrests of her chair as she felt a strong force invade her mind like a wave. She gritted her teeth stubbornly as she felt the mind probe, refusing to cry out again.

The wagemage's face remained completely stoic as he searched her memories of the phone call, and he nodded as he withdrew his power. "She's clean. Didn't tip him off at all."

"Good," Asami said from the other side of the room. "You're behaving very well, Miss Alice Blackwell. As you should for someone in your position."

"You got what you wanted," Ghost said, eyeing the two armed guards who stood on either side of her chair. "Get your goons out."

"We will depart soon enough," Asami said, puffing on a cigarette. "But there's one more matter that needs to be taken care of."

Ghost swallowed hard but remained calm. Although the man's words were daunting, if they were going to harm or kill her, she knew they would have done it already.

"What do you need?"

"Last night, this 'Finder' brought you a stuffed toy. What did you do with it?"

"The coke is gone, if that's what you're wondering. It sold like candy."

"No, the actual bear itself. Where is it?"

Ghost cocked her head curiously. "It's in my sister's room. She likes pandas."

One of the guards immediately went down the hall and soon came back with the bear, handing it to Asami. The Yakuza lord looked down into the bear's glassy eyes, and a brief smile flickered past his face. The plan was unfolding nicely, and it would only be a matter of time. Even still, his eyes gleamed with hunger as he thought of what lay ahead tonight, when the prey would finally be within his sights.

* * *

><p>Finder grunted as he heaved himself up the side of the empty office building, his arms aching from the long climb. As he finally made it up to the roof, he scrambled over the side and lay down on the concrete, panting heavily. Although his levitation would have eased much of the exertion, he knew that he had to conserve his magical energy in case he needed a way out. Besides, it was only a five story building. Things could be worse.<p>

Finder shrugged off his backpack and made himself comfortable against an air vent, taking out a pair of night vision goggles and pulling them on. He had acquired these from Ghost a while ago for a good price, and they were perfect for a stake out. Since the information was a little sketchy, he knew that he was going to be doing a lot of watching and waiting. Though he had to admit it was a pleasant change from being chased by SWAT teams.

He zoomed in with the goggles and took a look at the Shinjuku meat packing plant, observing all comings and goings with precise eyes. After a couple hours, he still watched, even though he had grown quite bored.

Finally, in the midst of pondering whether or not a quick nap was in order, his goggles picked up a large semi driving into the receiving end of the plant. Finder quickly snapped out of it and scurried to the edge of the building, zooming in with his goggles till he could see everything clearly. Two workers got out of the truck as a group of suits approached from inside the plant. They began talking and though Finder couldn't hear them, he still strained forward. At the head of the group was a man who seemed to stick out from the others. He was tall, with night black hair and a strong build. Finder could tell a head when he saw one.

He zoomed in even closer till all he could see was the man's face. He studied it carefully, knowing that he was looking at the brains of this operation. But his mouth dropped wide open when the man turned his head, looked straight at him, and smiled.

Finder stumbled back from the edge of the building, his mind reeling in panic. He had to be at least half a mile away. How did they know he was up here?

Finder quickly threw the goggles aside and closed his eyes, channeling his mana into his clairvoyant abilities. When he did, his heart seized. Hidden in the darkness were dozens of armored vehicles as well as SWAT teams, and one was fast approaching from inside the building, heading in his direction.

"Shit!" he barked as he heard loud thumping on the roof's entryway. His eyes snapped open and he darted to the edge of the building, using a steel drain pipe to climb down. He went as fast as he could, but he was only a few feet down when the soldiers burst through the door. It didn't take long for them to find him and Finder soon himself face to face with the barrel of a high powered shotgun.

"Climb back up," a cold voice demanded. "You will not be harmed."

Finder snorted. "I don't believe you."

With that, he released his hold on the pipe and plummeted towards the ground.


	5. Chapter 5

**Last chapter till probably this weekend. I have to go back to work tomorrow :P**

**Though if you keep the reviews coming, I may be able to update sooner. Next up we have our first taste of lemony bondage ;)**

**Love, **

**TBF101**

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><p><strong>Chapter 4<strong>

**Hunted**

Wind rushed past Finder's body as he plunged down of the top of the building. For a brief second, he closed his eyes, imagining himself as a bird caught in the breeze. He knew he didn't have much magic left to break his fall, but there was no way he would ever submit to corporate slaves. His pride simply wouldn't allow it. He would never bow his head in defeat, even if the fall shattered every bone in his body. He would go out with a bang, just like—

Finder suddenly writhed as he felt unfamiliar magic grab at his body, slowing his fall exponentially. He twisted his neck around and saw a woman standing nearby with another SWAT team, her hands raised in the air.

Finder bit his lip. If it came down to fighting another mage, he would be at a huge disadvantage. His clairvoyance had already taken up most of his power, and he would be down for the count if it came to a battle of magic. He needed a plan.

With great effort, Finder relaxed his body and allowed the invisible arms to take hold of him, setting him gently on the concrete. But though the lifting arms were graceful, they also set him directly in the perimeter of soldiers, and more guns pointed at him than he could count.

"Stand down," the woman ordered. The soldiers obeyed, but Finder didn't put down his guard, knowing that there were half a dozen snipers on the nearby buildings.

"Finder, if that is indeed what you call yourself," the woman spoke, her voice carrying as if amplified. "You are under arrest for trespassing. Come quietly and you will not be harmed."

"Heh," Finder chuckled. "Then why point so many roomsweepers at me?"

"You have nowhere to run," she replied calmly. "Put your hands in the air and spare yourself a painful death."

A light went off in Finder's head and he sighed.

_Well,_ he thought. _It is a last resort spell, but then again this is a last resort. _

"Fine," he said, lifting his hands into the air. "Just don't blow holes in me."

The woman nodded and beckoned him over to her. Finder dipped his chin and stared at his feet as he walked, summoning all the remaining mana he had left. Finally, when he got close to the wall of soldiers, his head snapped up and he let out a frightening yell. The woman recognized what he was doing immediately and shot backward as a fireball sprung forth from his outstretched hands. It was about the size of a basketball, but every eye widened when the ball hit one of the armored vehicles and exploded into a fury of flames that nearly engulfed the entire block. And in the midst of the chaos, Finder found his escape.

The woman had fallen to the ground, covering her head when the fire exploded, and once the flames became more stable, she grabbed a radio from a soldier and hissed into it.

"Southern team, the target is heading your way. Don't let him through that blockade!"

"Southern team copies," a voice spoke back. "Northern team, what was that?"

"A hellburst, an exploding fire spell. But he won't be able to do it again. That spell takes up far too much mana. I give him two minutes before he collapses. Find him."

* * *

><p>Finder's chest was screaming for air as he bolted down the alley, but in spite of his weakening limbs, he kept running.<p>

_Almost there,_ he told himself. _Almost there. Just have to find a place to…crash…_

Finder gritted his teeth as an unmistakable fatigue began to weigh down his mind.

"Fucking drain," he gasped out. Unfortunately during this brief thought, he hadn't watched where he was running and his whole body went up in the air as he slipped on a metal trashcan lid. It clattered with fury when it fell back to the ground, the noise echoing through the streets. On instinct, Finder tried to use his levitation to keep himself from falling, but the magic slipped through his fingers like sand and he fell heavily, the back of his head hitting the concrete with an ear splitting thud.

For a moment, everything was black as the young man teetered on the edge of unconsciousness. However, his tenacious nature won out and he opened his eyes, only to find himself surrounded. Four large orcs came at him from all directions, one of them kicking the trash can lid out of his way.

"Idiot," he scoffed. "That was a costly mistake. Though then again, choosing to go against Renraku is always costly."

Finder cried out when a humongous hand grabbed his shirt collar and lifted him off his feet. His dizzy head lolled about as the orc took a careful look at him.

"What does Asami-sama want with this raggedy thing?" another commented.

But Finder heard no more, for his mind was at last at its limits, and he went limp. As he fell into the black hole of unconsciousness, those last words stuck with him, and he found himself wondering just who "Asami-sama" was.

* * *

><p>The orcs were still pondering when the rest of the SWAT teams caught up, along with Asami's personal bodyguards.<p>

"Damnit you behemoths!" one of them yelled as he saw blood dripping to the ground. "We want him alive!"

"He is alive," the orc answered, holding Finder in his huge arms. "I think."

Kirishima quickly stormed over and took their target's pulse, breathing a sigh of relief. He was alive, as the boss wanted, and he quickly called for the medical team who tended to his head.

"We won't know if he has a concussion or not unless we do X-rays," one of the meds commented. "But mainly it's just a nasty bump that broke the skin."

"Good, there won't be time for medical emergencies," Kirishima said, wiping his fingers on a handkerchief. "Asami-sama has ordered him to be brought to Renraku headquarters immediately. Get him in the car."

* * *

><p>Throbbing pain stirred Finder's mind as he was slowly brought back to reality. His eyes squinted shut as a bright light shone in his face. He groaned weakly and tried to put a hand up, only to find that his strength had dried up.<p>

"See?" a familiar voice said. It was that lady mage. "I told you he wouldn't be able to move."

"But he's not in any danger?" a deep voiced purred.

"Only a knock to the head. Though I'm sure you'll give him far worse," she laughed.

"Do you have the information I asked for?"

"Yep," she replied. "It's all on this chip. Everything we've found about him."

"Excellent. You may leave."

A clatter of high heeled steps made their way out and faded away. Finder tried to shift again but found himself unsuccessful. He let out another moan and a shadow fell across his eyes. Long fingers took his chin and lifted it, and Finder opened his eyes to see a blurry face before slipping back into unconsciousness.

* * *

><p>"Wake up," a strong voice commanded in the darkness.<p>

Finder felt the caress of water slide down his face and his mind panicked just enough to wake him. He found it much easier this time to open his eyes, as the lights weren't as bright and the ache in the back of his head was gone, though his vision was still blurry.

"Where am I?" he whispered.

"Renraku headquarters, or more specifically, my penthouse."

Finder thought for a moment and his teeth gritted in fear as the memories of the night came flooding back to him. And he knew one thing was certain: he was a dead man.

_But, if that were true,_ he reasoned, contradicting his gut. _Why am I not sleeping with the fishes in Tokyo bay?_

His mind went to an even darker place as it dawned on him. The only reason to keep him alive would be information, and that was usually gained through torture. Finder swallowed hard, resigning himself to his creed that he would never submit. Never.

As he regained his sight, he experimentally shifted about. He could move, but not very well, and he felt the slightly different bites of leather and metal as he tried to struggle. He was upright, sitting on a table with his hands bound behind his back. He leaned forward and heard a chain clack and a tug against his wrists. It made sense. There was no way he'd be able to stand after that ordeal. That chain was the only thing holding him up.

"Well, Finder," the voice spoke again. "Or should I say, Takaba Akihito? You caused quite a bit of a mess tonight."

Finder's mind reeled in shock and he willed his eyes to focus on the figure standing before him.

"How do you know my name?"

"You're not the only one with a decker, kid," the man said with a bit of amusement. "Once we had your face, it was quite easy to get the rest of the pieces. However, I did not expect them to be so interesting."

Finder's vision finally cleared, but he swallowed hard as he recognized the person before him as the head of tonight's operation. Something clicked in his mind and he stared at the man cautiously.

"I take it you're Asami," he said.

The man's gaze shifted and a crook of a smile pulled at the corner of his mouth. "You would be correct."

"What do you want with me?" Akihito murmured.

Asami eyed his latest capture, the spirit of the wounded young man intriguing him. This one was a fighter, and this was going to be so much more fun. The hunt had been extremely thrilling, but the capture was taking things to a whole new level.

"As I've said," Asami replied. "You made quite a mess tonight, as well as other messes you have to answer for. We both already know why you're here."

"It's pointless to threaten me," Akihito snarled. "I won't tell you anything."

"You don't need to tell me anything, I already have proof. I assume you recognize this?"

Asami took a stuffed panda from a bag on the floor and held it in front of Akihito, whose expression fell.

"Your decker got traced through that cocaine she sold to one of my clients. She sold you out, kid. She gave you to us on a silver platter."

Akihito's mind buzzed with confusion, but he hardened his gaze and looked back at Asami unafraid.

"She did the right thing," he said. "She has more important things to worry about."

"You mean her little sister?"

Akihito swallowed hard. "If you hurt them, you bastard—"

"Relax," Asami scoffed. "They are both safe, and quite richer in fact. You really should screen your associates more thoroughly, Finder.

"Interesting street name, Finder. I assume it refers to the part of those old cameras that lets you see your target. Though your bioware eyes are far more advanced. But even with those eyes and what pitiful magic you possess, you're little more than a stray cat."

"Then why not kill me?"

Asami smiled dangerously. "Because there are far greater pleasures in this world than killing. Like breaking the spirit of a tender young brat."

Akihito tensed as Asami came face to face with him and took his chin between his fingers. A knife flashed and Akihito bit his lip to stop from screaming as it was held against the drip between his collarbones, inches from the jugulars on his neck.

"You look scared," Asami said, grinning. "I like it."

With a skillful hand, Asami took Akihito's stretched shirt collar and pulled on it before cutting right down the middle of the fabric, revealing the young man's toned physique. Hunger gleamed in Asami's eyes at the sight of the budding flesh, and Akihito felt chills roll down his spine.

"Before we get started," Asami said, pulling a small glass tube out of his pocket. "I feel it's appropriate to set the mood."

His hand shot out and snatched Akihito's jaw, holding it in place as he brought the glass tube to the boy's nose. Akihito had no choice but to breath in, and when he did he felt his nose burn as the white powder went up his nose and into his lungs. In mere minutes a strange feeling overtook his body, like he was floating in midair again.

"What…did you give me?" he gasped out as his mind was swept away.

Asami smiled. "A taste of the cocaine you stole from me. Now shall we get started, Takaba Akihito?"


	6. Chapter 6

**WARNING: contains adult content/bondage. **

**OMG, this took so long to write. I'm tired. I had intended to get this out on Thanksgiving and serve Akihito to you all on a platter, but I guess it's a black Friday deal instead. **

**Hope you enjoy ;) thank you guys for all the reviews! Please leave more *wide hopeful eyes ***

**TBF101**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 5<strong>

**Prize**

_A gentle sea breeze sailed through the air, smelling of sand and salt as it caressed the ocean waves. Akihiko's eyes drifted lazily about, staring at the lapping water. For a moment he forgot why he was here. He hadn't been to this beach since he was a kid, but didn't care enough to question why. He peered down at his feet, which hovered inches above the rolling waves. _

_He'd always loved the ocean. Its boundless nature and the freedom it offered. How he could just let go of himself, and never return to shore…_

Akihito gasped in surprised when a rough hand smacked him across the face. He blinked several times, the hallucination fading away till he found himself back in reality. He visibly shuddered as he looked at himself, his arms and legs strung up, suspending his naked body in the air with a leather harness. He tried to lift his head, but despite its weightlessness, his strength still evaded him. As every fiber in his body seemed to tingle with stimulation, he let out a low moan.

"I take it this your first time doing drugs," Asami said, studying the boy as he smoked a cigarette.

Akihito breathed heavily as he struggled against the weightlessness he felt. He shook his head, trying to lessen the effects, but still found himself seeing colors. Having gleaned information about drugs and their effects from other freelancers, and the occasional burnout, he knew that cocaine did not usually cause hallucinations. And it was quite easy for anyone to spike it with something more toxic.

"That's not…" he said with difficulty. "That's not coke you gave me."

Asami raised an eyebrow in interest. "On the contrary, it is. I merely added a couple extra things. How is it?"

Akihito's tongue hung limp in his mouth, just a thick slab of nothing. Asami reached forward and slipped a finger in between Akihito's lips, thrusting teasingly in and out.

"You should start to feel pretty good any time now."

Akihito tried to break free of the chemical spell, but resistance just seemed to pull him farther in. He felt so hot, but he was shivering. Every sense in his body was exploding all at once. Taste, touch, smell, hearing, and screaming, and yet Akihito could barely make a sound. But when blood began to pool south and his hips involuntarily bucked, Asami knew the boy was ready.

Asami flicked the cigarette butt into a crystal ashtray and put his palm in the center of Akihito's chest, tracing the tips of his fingers down the boy's torso all the way to his hardening cock. This light movement contrasted with his next as he seized Akihito's member, making the boy hitch and let out a delicious cry. He made a few adjusts to the harness, lowering his prize's legs till he was more upright. He snaked around and leaned the boy's back against his chest, one hand traveling around to pinch a straining nipple, the other roughly stroking a spry young dick. Akihito let out panting cries, but yelped when Asami's nails scraped along his ribcage. This mix of pain and pleasure seemed to feed Akihito's high, and his body howled for more. Body and mind, the boy was far past the point of resisting. Even as his soul floundered in anger and confusion, its voice was barely heard.

Asami's tongue squished into the shell of Akihito's ear, evoking a heedy moan.

"Losing your cocky attitude already?" he chuckled. "You were easier to break than I thought."

Akihito didn't have time for a reply as he strained against the harness and gasped. Asami's hand began to stroke him harder and faster, and the sensation became almost unbearable as he felt himself about to climax.

"Oh no," Asami chided, gripping the base of the throbbing cock. "You're not allowed to come yet."

Akihito cried out in agony as he felt something being slipped over his dick, the rubber hold of the cock ring thwarting all his efforts to release till he found his body shrieking.

"P—please," he begged.

Asami smiled, his tongue slicking across Akihito's cheek. "Cute, for a deviant. When I see reckless, cocky brats like you I can't help but want to torture them. And I think I have just the thing for you."

The Yakuza released his hold on Akihito, leaving his swaying slightly, panting with exertion as his flesh glistened with sweat.

_More than cute,_ Asami mused. _Simply delectable. _

Asami pulled a couple of items out of a cabinet and set them on the table beside the hanging boy. Even in his inebriated state, Akihito' s face took on a delicious look of horror when he saw them. Asami's grin widened. Now the real fun was about to start.

* * *

><p>"I do enjoy virgin holes," Asami commented as his finger plunged into Akihito's depths. "And I can tell one when I feel it."<p>

The youth let out a muffled cry at the penetration, his teeth clamping down on the rubbery bit gag Asami had affixed around his neck. The slick digit felt so foreign, yet so powerful, and made all the more daunting by how helpless he was.

Asami's smile never left his face as he withdrew, only to probe two fingers in, which made Takaba's expression even more satisfactory. Once the entrance was properly stretched, Asami took his fingers out and squirted more lube into the palm of his hand.

Akihito's breaths evened out when Asami had backed off, and he shut his eyes with relief. But when his sensitive ears caught a rhythmic buzzing, his eyes snapped opened and widened. Asami held a large, textured dildo in his hands, the silicon gleaming with lubrication.

A new feeling of fear crept up his spine, and in his heightened state, he felt it like a knife in the back as Asami positioned the toy at his pucker.

"Nnnnn!" he shrieked, trying to stop his captor. But his whole body undulated when the dildo pushed past the tight ring of his entrance and buried itself deep within his recesses. It was painful at first, and Akihito's hard on had shrunk, but as his body involuntarily clenched around the vibrating toy he let out a muffled moan.

Asami leaned back against the wall, lighting another cigarette as he watched the boy slowly lose himself, that same smile still perched on his lips. He had gotten hard long ago, but still remained in control, enjoying the scene before him of Akihito writhing and struggling against his bonds.

He studied the young man's face with careful eyes, drinking in the sight as tears pooled in slate blue eyes that were dilated from the drugs.

"Your eyes are bioware, I see," he said casually. "And it looks as though they're in good condition. Shall I hook up you up to a feed so you can watch yourself come?"

"Bhastard!" Akihito mumbled out. Asami smiled, delighted with the fact that though his toy was physically and mentally restrained, he still resisted.

That deserved a reward.

"Or," Asami said as he unbuckled Akihito's bit gag. "We could record it and send it to those media stations you frequent, or even to your Judas decker."

Akihito gasped for air as the gag was removed and saliva dribbled down his chin, dripping onto his thighs. "And what exactly would you gain from that?" he slurred.

"A bit of satisfaction, but nothing more," Asami mused, more intrigued with his prize by the minute. His own blood thick cock was straining now, and he knew it was time for the full course.

Akihito was fully hard again, his thighs shaking with exertion as the dildo rumbled inside him and tears of frustration rolled down his cheeks. He had to come so bad. His shaft squeezed against the cock ring so much that it was painful, and he simply couldn't bear it.

"You cruel bastard," he choked out in between gasps. "Please…"

A dark eyebrow lifted at the sight of the boy finally broken, and for a moment Asami froze, a dozen emotions passing through his eyes as if he was deciding to find which mask he wanted to wear. Finally settling on one, Asami took Akihito's cock in his hand and slipped the ring off. He barely even touched it before the boy came, spurts of white coating his stomach and thighs.

"You really are cute," Asami said as Akihito went completely limp. "I suppose I can let you off the hook now."

Akihito's face twitched as he felt Asami's warm lips on his own, and his flicking tongue sneaking in and sweeping across his own. It lasted for several minutes, and by then Akihito was mewling, trying to break the kiss so he could breathe while Asami only deepened it. Asami finally let him pull away but kept his head in place as he traced his lips across Akihito's tear-stained cheek. Gentle nibbles went along his jaw line and down the side of his neck, while his hands caught Akihito's pink buds and twisted.

After getting the boy's cock to inch upwards again, Asami stopped his attentions and walked in front of Akihito, reaching out towards the dildo. The boy yelped as a firm hand pulled it out of him and threw it to the floor. His loosened hole was quivering and clenching as it felt emptiness, and Akihito struggled with discomfort.

Asami loosened his tie, then began to unstrap his captive's legs, lowering them to the floor. Akihito's knees shook as he tried to bear his weight, and the chain holding his bound arms clinked as he sunk. Asami wrapped an arm around his chest and held him in place as he unclipped the chain, Akihito nearly doubling over as he fell against Asami's broad chest.

"Come," Asami murmured. "I'll hold you."

The Yakuza slid an arm underneath Akihito's knees and lifted his floppy form, walking over to the couch at the far end of the room. He sat down and laid the boy in his lap.

Akihito was lost in a rush of spiraling thoughts, and he hardly knew where he was. But when a familiar sound caught his ear, he blinked and twisted his head around.

Asami had undone his belt buckle, producing a thick cock that was pearling at the tip, and Akihito's eyes widened.

"No," he gasped, straining against the leather that bound his hands behind his back.

Asami hummed as he coated his shaft in lube and positioned the boy's hips with little resistance. Despite Finder's pleading, Asami knew he was far too gone to do anything about it physically.

He would enjoy that very much.

"Ahhh!" Akihito cried as Asami nudged inside him. The dick was far larger than the toy had been and it almost felt like a wooden pole was being shoved up his ass.

"P—Pull out," Akihito gasped. "It's too big."

Asami chuckled, reaching around and sticking two fingers into Takaba's mouth, shifting his head back. The tight heat squeezing his cock was exquisite, and he wasn't even fully buried yet.

"Come on," he crooned. "Let me all the way in."

He thrust his hips upward and Akihito's back arched as Asami's cock entered him right down to the hilt. The boy squirmed and gasped in the Yakuza's lap, and it took a few minutes for him to calm down. But once his breaths had quieted, Asami withdrew some of his shaft and thrust it back in, making new tears spring into the boy's blue eyes as he cried out.

Again and again that cock drove into him, first slow, then harder till he was moaning loudly. The position was deep and rough, and yet Akihito felt himself getting hard again as a spot inside him was rubbed against. His cries only grew louder when Asami reached down and grasped his half-erect cock and began to stroke it.

Even as Akihito rode his cock, Asami still remained in full control, and alternated his movements according. Pain, pleasure, pain, pleasure, each of the sensations making the boy cry out delectably. But the hunter inside him was clawing at the cage, and he wanted more.

With a rough hand, he grabbed the boy's bound arms and shoved him forward, sending him toppling to the floor none too gently. Akihito panted in relief when Asami's member was out of him, but fear took hold of him again as Asami kneeled on the floor and pulled the boy's hips up, putting his knees on the floor and his ass high up in the air.

Unable to resist, Asami took a large hand and smacked one of the firm cheeks, leaving a red hand print. He then began to inch his cock back into Akihito's pucker, which was stretched wide and quivering.

Asami didn't take much time to put the whole shaft in this time, and soon he was riding the boy from behind, drinking in the shrieks and panting cries he made. This little stray kitten had crossed him, and Asami wanted to brand him with his heated dick, claiming him brutally. This boy would never forget the pain and pleasure he had received tonight, and Asami would make sure of it.

"Asami," Akihito panted as the pace built up yet again. The Yakuza shivered with delight at the powerless tone that begged him. "I'm going to—I!"

"Go on," Asami commanded. "Come."

Akihito tensed and a wave he'd never experienced flooded through him as he came hard. But the sensation was prolonged as Asami relentlessly thrust into him, making his already sensitive body scream.

Just when he thought he could take no more, Asami thrust in hard and came, filling the hole with his seed. The boy's thighs quivered and he collapsed onto his side, the experience overwhelming his drugged mind till he finally withdrew, his eyes rolling back into his head as another hallucination took over.

Asami stared at the limp boy in front of him, taking a cig out of his pocket as he traced his fingers along Akihito's trembling leg. He sat back down on the couch, having a smoke and reveling in the sight of the boy at his feet. The position suited him nicely, and he would soon learn to be at the powerful Yakuza's feet, just like the toy he was.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 6**

**Float**

Even hours after his experience with Asami, Akihito was still lost in an alternate reality. His eyes were closed, but that didn't stop the cosmos beneath them from moving, turning, changing colors, becoming something else. At first, everything was fixated on spiraling shapes darting around and around. But then he began to see things that weren't abstract. Random objects began to form at will out of the chaos, floating in the empty space.

Then this space was taken up by flashes of sense memory.

Another flashback of the beach burst into Akihito's mind, this time, sand between his toes as he walked along the shoreline beachcombing, every tiny grain caressing his feet.

The first time he tried takoyaki at the New Year's festival near the town shrine, salty, hearty, with a shrieking pinch of sweet sauce.

The ugly green color the apartment's kitchen used to be painted, the walls and floor undulating like waves.

"_You worthless boy!"_ a voice screamed in a pitch-black room, followed by the sound of shattering glass, this memory so vivid that Akihito felt himself shiver.

Akihito had no recollection of how long he was lost to these hallucinations, but, ever-slowly, reason returned to his mind and he began to silently wonder, question, and realize.

He groaned as he felt his being descend back into his body. Pain was waiting for him impatiently, and spared no time in stabbing his nerves with a sharp ache. Akihito lay in agony for a few minutes before rising teardrops forced him to open his eyes. The blurry spin of colors faded out.

_Where am I?_ Akihito blinked a few times in the dim light. _Did I forget to close the blackout shade? It should be darker in here._

With a bit of experimental wiggling, he found he could move his hands and slid them from his side to his chest. As he did, he marveled at the sheets with his still heightened senses: they were far softer than anything he'd ever owned. They almost felt like silk.

In his floating state, it took him quite a while to shift from the sheets to a conclusion.

_I'm somewhere else. But where? And why does everything hurt so much?_

Akihito tried to move and gasped as he found his lower body to be the most pained area. Shifting his neck in discomfort, he felt something, and his breath caught in his throat. The rubbing, scraping sensation was not one he would soon forget. It was a leather collar.

Akihito sobbed and weakly fumbled with it, trying to pull it away from his tender skin. But his hands were shaking so much that he couldn't even hold onto it. Panic exploded in his mind and his entire body tensed as a new scene overtook his eyes: Asami's hands touching him, groping him, violating him. Driving into him with such force that he was in both agony and ecstasy.

Akihito was hyperventilating as the hallucination subsided, a sheen of sweat covering his shivering body. With great effort, he managed to roll onto his side, curling into the fetal position as fear and terror overtook him.

What had he done? What had been done to him?

Akihito's teeth chattered as the memory flashed before his eyes, again and again. Everything came back: the heat, the smell of sweat and arousal, that thick cock thrusting inside him.

He whimpered quietly in the dark room, holding himself as his eyes were overcome with tears.

Whether it was minutes, hours, or days that passed he did not know. All he knew was pain, fear, and hopelessness. How had this happened?

"_Be careful…don't do anything stupid," _said Ghost's solemn voice. Akihito cringed and let out a quiet cry. He had been more than stupid. He had been so blinded by his pride that he had been captured and defeated. The only reconciliation he had was the fact that he had not surrendered, but even that was questionable, as he had felt pleasure while Asami violated him. He had even begged for release.

_Like a bitch in heat_, he thought, gritting his teeth as another cloud of despair came on.

Like little blips on a heart monitor, the swirling colors flared up again, but in much shorter spurts. Akihito kept his weeping eyes on the wall, staring at the abstractions with a vacant expression. The clouds had brought forth rain, and he was drowning in it.

Suddenly, a figure almost seemed to step out of the wall and Akihito's face turned white as he saw those cold eyes staring down at him, condemning him.

Akihito bit back a cry, and shut his eyes, willing that person's shadow to cease haunting him. But the man was still waiting there in the darkness. Akihito shook under his gaze and tears streamed down his face as he lowered his head in shame.

"I'm sorry," he choked out. "Dad, I'm so sorry."

* * *

><p>Asami stared down at the quaking boy in his bed, his face expressionless. It seemed the plan had worked maybe a little too well. Those light blue eyes filled with fire were gone, snuffed out by the drugs and their lingering effects of trauma. Takaba kept his head bowed, gasping out apologies over and over.<p>

With a quiet hum, Asami turned and left the room, locking the door behind him.

This would not do.

* * *

><p>In a deep slumber, Akihito stirred as a sudden light came into the room. Mumbled voices spoke and it took him a few minutes to decipher what they were saying.<p>

"I hate my life."

"I think if you actually had a life," a second voice replied. "You'd hate it."

Akihito blinked a few times, trying to get used to the invading light as he awoke. He let out a slight groan as he felt a clammy hand touch his forehead.

"Yep, he's waking up," the second voice said frankly. "Good thing, this spell works a lot better if the subject is conscious."

The first voice scoffed. "Wow, the poor thing. I wish I could sleep for three days straight. But no, I get called out of the office right during lunch to deal with a drugged up human."

Akihito finally managed to open his eyes, and saw himself seeing double. There was a young elf on either side of him, with cropped black hair and multi-colored eyes. Akihito knew he must be seeing wrong and tried to shake it away, but the faces were there when opened his eyes again.

"Hah," the first laughed. "He is tripping."

"Pipe down already and help me," the second growled. "My noodles are getting colder by the second."

Akihito flinched as they both laid a hand on his bare chest, and his eyes went wide with fear. But his lips parted in shock as he felt the familiar touch of magic seeping from their fingers and into his body. Everything was whisked away in a wind storm, the colors, the fear, the despair, all into a black hole never to be seen again. The curtain had lifted from Akihito's eyes and he immediately sat up, his eyes flickering from one elf to the other in suspicion. There was no doubt in his mind that he could take both of them with enough mana, but when he tried to summon his own magic, it failed him.

If the two elves noticed, they didn't do anything more than exchange glances as they stood and sighed.

"Well, that was easy," the second said. "I don't see why he needed both of us."

Akihito stared at them both darkly. "What did you do to me?"

"The detox spell," the first said, crossing his arms irritably. "Given what a street junkie you are I'm surprised you didn't know."

Akihito's memory flickered and he recalled hearing about that spell a few times in some of the shadier bars in the city. But he was quickly pulled out of his thoughts as the door opened, and a woman in a red business suit walked in. Akihito's eyes widened as he recognized her as the mage woman with the SWAT team that night. She had been wearing protective armor then so it had taken him a few moments to remember her.

She looked calmly about the scene and nodded to the elves. "Hanz, Franz, you can go. I'll take it from here."

The two elves quickly hurried out of the room in anticipation of finishing their lunch. Akihito stomach growled promptly and the woman smiled.

"Why don't you take a shower, then come out into the living room, Finder," she said. "We have things to discuss."

* * *

><p><strong>These chapters are seeming to take me longer and longer to get done, and I truly appreciate all the favs, follows, and reviews. They really motivate me. <strong>

**And don't worry, there will be more Akihito smexing soon :) **

**Hope to hear from you guys!**

**TBF101**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 7**

**Psych**

Akihito could not remember a shower that felt so good. For almost twenty minutes, he just stood as the water ghosted down his form in rivets, washing away the horror of the past few days. A new energy flowed in his as he squirted shampoo into his hand and lathered away all the knots in his hair. He scrubbed vigorously at his skin, marveling a little at how much grime was under his fingernails. Truth be told, he hadn't showered since the morning of the coke deal at the wharf, and he almost relished being clean. His reverie was interrupted when his finger brushed the leather collar that was still affixed around his neck. He shook his head, hoping that the flashbacks wouldn't start again. But as he began to wash his groin and between his legs, he stopped. A slippery substance dribbled out of him, and his eyes went wide with alarm as he brought his hand up and stared it. It was come.

Rather than returning in a crashing wave, the memories came back slower this time and with much less intensity. However Akihito's face was grimaced in pain and he lowered his head. But the fire of his insatiable spirit blazed up like a phoenix in the darkness of his mind. He ran his hand under the water, letting the white seed dissolve in the hot spray. He took a deep breath, clenching his wet fist, and closed his eyes.

_Be strong, _he thought. _Endure. You can get out of this. _

Shutting the water off, he grabbed a towel and began to dry off. His eyes caught his reflection in the large panoramic mirror over the granite vanity.

"Shit, I look bad," Akihito mumbled to himself. Along with various cuts and scrapes from his jobs, a plethora of bite marks and bruises dotted his torso. His eyes were bloodshot and sunken, making him look years older than he was. He frowned at the sight of the black collar, and tried wrenching it off again, but it held fast no matter what he did. He growled, finally giving up but vowing to find a crowbar or something else as soon as he had a chance.

Pulling away from his reflection, Akihito stepped back into the bedroom, and was surprised to see clothes neatly folded on the now made bed. A white cotton tee-shirt, briefs, along with a pair of navy sweatpants and a matching hoodie with a full zipper. His rebellious spirit flared at the sight of the Renraku logo on the front of the sweatshirt, but he relented and dressed. The clothes felt like a new skin as Akihito walked over to the door and opened it.

The penthouse was a different world compared to his own place. Large windows overlooked the city with spectacular views. Though all the furnishings were lavish, it still held a sense of masculine simplicity with its gray and black color scheme.

"Finder?" the woman's voice called. Akihito padded into the adjoining room and found her sitting at a table decorated with platters of steaming food. He must have had a hungry look in his eyes, because she smiled and beckoned him to sit.

"You must be starving after three days," she said. "Eat all you want."

Despite the twisting pain in his empty stomach, Akihito hesitated in eating his captor's food. It could be laced with all manner of things, depending on if they wanted him dead or spewing information.

As if sensing this, the woman reached over and began to serve herself, taking small portions of almost everything on the table.

"I hope you don't mind if I dine with you," she said. "I haven't had lunch myself yet."

Whether it was her convincing manner, or his own famishment Akihito didn't know, but soon he was eating. Being in the presence of someone else, and a woman at that, he curbed his desire to shovel the food down like an animal. But long after she had cleaned her plate, he was still going.

"Would you like some tea, Finder?" she said, getting up and going into the kitchen.

"Uh, sure," Akihito said, pausing as he realized he didn't know her name.

"Oh," the woman half-laughed as she prepared the tea. "How terribly rude of me. Finder, I am called Psych."

"I know you know my real name," Akihito said, arching his neck defiantly.

"Yes, but as a fellow mage I prefer to address others by the titles they have given themselves. I prefer to be called Psych, and as such I will extend the same courtesy to you."

Akihito once again felt his guard shift at her words, even if his head told him she was just slick in a conversation.

"Who are you, anyways?" he said bluntly as she brought back a teapot and two cups on serving tray.

Psych tucked a small strand of her dark chocolate pixie cut behind her ear, and looked at Akihito with insightful green eyes. This one sure liked to jump into things quickly, but she had witnessed that firsthand the night they had caught him. She wouldn't waste time with him unless it was to her advantage.

"I am a Renraku negotiator, as well as Asami-sama's personal mage. However before I was contracted, I was a psychiatrist who specialized in introspective magical treatment."

"You're a shrink?" Akihito bristled.

"You don't care for psychology?" she asked with amusement.

"I'm all for it, as long as you people stay the hell away from my head," Akihito all but growled. "Enough of that shit, I need answers. Why am I here?"

"You committed a crime against Renraku, well multiple crimes really. Trespassing, larceny, resisting arrest, and you did a lot of damage to that city block with your hellburst."

"Hah," Akihito laughed. "Looks like I got your eyebrows too. What, did you paint them on this morning?"

Rather than be annoyed with his taunt, though she was irked about her eyebrows which she just had done, Psych was even more fascinated with Finder. He had a refreshing defiant spirit, and a delightful air of untried youth.

_No wonder Asami-sama took such measures to bring him down, _she thought. _Finder is just his type._

"So spill it," Akihito said. "If I'm as big a criminal as you say, why did Renraku not kill me? Your goons could've taken me down a dozen different times last night."

"Asami-sama ordered that you be brought to him alive," Psych replied calmly. "I know you're not a fool Finder, you know exactly what situation you're in."

"Then say what we both already know."

Psych sighed at his stubbornness. "Basically, young man, because of the nature of your crimes against Renraku, Lone Star* has basically agreed to let us deal punishment as Asami-sama sees fit. You can think of it as a prison, or an opportunity to dig yourself out and walk through those gates a free man."

Akihito chuckled without humor. "More like ride in a body bag."

"Finder—"

"You know for a psychologist or whatever, you sure don't read people well," Akihito snorted. "I took one look at Asami and saw what he was. He is not the kind of man who catches a fish just to let it go."

Psych's gaze shifted at his words, and she knew there would be no more talking to him. Not yet, at least. Even still, there were still boundaries to set.

Psych stood from her chair, her gaze a little less cordial. "I'll give it to you plain, Finder. You are confined to this penthouse indefinitely. If you try to exit through the doors or windows in whatever creative fashion you try, that collar will inject you with a heavy tranquilizer. And as you may have noticed, it suppresses your mana as well, making you incapable of doing any spells."

Finder's eyes widened at her words and the entirety of the situation silently crashed down on him as Pysch crossed the room and headed for the front door. She lingered with her hands on the doorknob, as if trying to find the right concoction of words.

"Asami-sama will be back around six. I suggest you prepare yourself for him. If you do not, the only one you're hurting is yourself. I hope to get you on my couch sometime if circumstances permit, Finder."

Akihito heard the quiet click of the door and several locks, and sat there frozen in shock. He looked down to see his hands trembling on his thighs, and clenched them into shaking fists. He looked at the clock hung on the wall above the table. It was half past one.

Akihito held his head in his hands, unable to determine whether the next four and a half hours would be a blessing or a curse.

* * *

><p><strong>*Lone Star: the largest public security bureau in the world, whom many people consider to be the law, though they are in fact a corporation themselves. <strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Next up we have more Asami Akihito antics. Gee, I wonder what they'll do? ;)**

**Review to find out! Kisses!**

**TBF101**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 8**

**Shatter**

Despite the fact that he appeared completely focused, Asami's mind had drifted more than usual today. Even as he sat in a meeting with the other chair members of Renraku, his thoughts lay with a certain kitten confined in his penthouse. Hanz and Franz had been dispatched to detox him, and Psych had appeared in his office shortly after lunch.

"You've certainly picked out a fighter, Asami-sama," she had commented as she organized a few scattered papers on his expansive desk.

The corner of Asami's lip curled. "Did the kitten try to scratch?"

"More like bite," Psych smiled. "Amazing what a little magic and some food did to restore his spirit."

Asami hummed, pulling a cigarette out of his pack and lighting it.

"I told him you'd be done with work around six," Psych said casually.

Asami almost laughed, knowing what such a tactic would do to his captive. Giving Takaba a definite time rather than a spontaneous one gave him a little too long to think, and in his cornered situation, it was bound to drive him bat shit crazy. He'd go through little phases of anger, throwing things and probably trying to break the windows. Futile of course, as the glass could withstand anything smaller than an armored tank. Then seeing that every course of action he tried failed him, Takaba would sink into dark periods of more panic and planning. By six he would be coiled tighter than a spring, and ready to explode. And Asami was more than happy to put Takaba in his place again.

There would be no drugs tonight, no handicaps. He would not coerce Akihito, he would take him by sheer force.

The very thought put a smug look on Asami's face, which his fellow chairmen took as a sign he was pleased with the new project.

"Well, Mr. President?" one of them asked upon finishing the presentation.

Asami suddenly stood, nodding to Psych who was in the chair next to him. "You may proceed with the initial planning. Give all the details to Psych."

"Thank you, Asami-sama," another said. "I have great hopes for this project."

Asami agreed and left the room, his two bodyguards following behind him. Once they had begun the drive away from the business sector over to the penthouse, Asami cleared his throat, which got their attention immediately.

"Sir?" said Kirishima.

"Expect some noise tonight," Asami said plainly. "But no one sets foot in the penthouse unless I give absolute permission. Understood?"

"Yes, sir," the replied in unison.

* * *

><p>Asami tuned his senses as he walked out of the elevator and up to the door of his penthouse, listening for noise of any kind. It was a possibility that Takaba could be waiting for him at the front door to jump him, but rather than be wary, Asami smirked.<p>

_Let him try all he wants,_ he thought, the idea making him even more excited. Even still, he wasn't ready to level the playing field in Takaba's favor, and went to the touch monitor in front of the penthouse door. After tapping a few buttons and having his retina scanned, the screen brought up a three hundred and sixty-five degree view of what lay beyond the door. Asami was a little surprised that Akihito was not anywhere near there. Pondering about what state he was going to find his pet in, Asami entered the penthouse. As predicted, there were various vases and priceless works of art laying in a glass heap. The maids would be finding shards for weeks. The windows had remained unbroken, but the askew nature of the usually clean room held an unmistakable essence of anger. Asami almost smiled again.

When his ear caught the sound of water running, it didn't take him long to find his tabby kitten. He silently walked over to the edge of the dining room, where the kitchen was adjoined. Akihito stood in front of the sink, filling a glass of water. His hoodie lay on the floor, and sweat stains pooled under his arms and dotted along his spine. No doubt his latest escape attempt was strenuous. Or was it even an attempt?

Asami noticed several large steak knives on the floor as well as other sharp utensils. And even from his vantage point he could see tiny scratches on the side of Akihito's collar.

_Kitten wants his collar off,_ Asami thought with a glint in his eye. He leaned against the open entryway and let out a quiet hum as he waited for the festivities to begin.

That light noise hit Akihito's acute senses like a church bell, and the glass slipped from his hand, falling to the ground and shattering. Akihito whipped around and Asami saw fear and anger pooling equally into those blue eyes.

Takaba didn't move for a few moments, and slowly his anger began to override his fear. He gritted his teeth and gave Asami a vicious stare, his bottom lip quivering ever slightly from the strain of his jaw.

Asami looked back casually, then down to the broken glass on the floor.

"Haven't you broken enough things today? Those paintings were all originals."

Takaba looked like he was both stunned and enraged when Asami trivialized his emotions, but he kept his mouth shut.

Asami sighed and took a step forward, which sent a flash of fear into Akihito's eyes. His hands gripped the counter and he felt shivers prick down his spine as Asami walked up to him. When a large hand reached towards Akihito's face, he finally snapped and lashed out, stopping Asami cold.

"Don't touch me!" Akihito shrieked, lowering his shaking fists to his sides. Between the hours and hours of waiting, panicking, and planning, his mind was at its wit's end. He was so angry and afraid he couldn't move. He sucked in a sharp breath when Asami reached out to him again, his fingertips ghosting along his lips and chin before finally settling on Akihito's collar. Placing his finger on the flat metal piece at the front of the collar, he pressed it and spoke.

"Asami Ryuichi," he said. "Release."

Hidden panels of the collar opened and the device fell from Akihito's neck and onto the floor. Akihito's fear dissipated and he stared at the object for several minutes in silence.

"There," Asami sighed, loosening his tie. "Now calm down."

Before he could stop himself, Akihito retorted.

"Don't tell me what to do," he snapped quietly.

"At least pick up the knives. Those are titanium grade after all."

"I'm not picking up anything," Akihito said, his mouth curling into a grin that made Asami pause. "You're damn lucky I don't believe in killing for revenge…but unfortunately I don't feel the same way about these penthouses. Any last words before I blast this place with a hellburst?"

Asami's mouth shifted slightly. Had a lesser man been standing in his shoes, Akihito's bluff would probably have swayed them. However, Asami had thousands of mages at his command, and as such knew a thing or two about them.

"So you would take your revenge by burning away the place where such horrific things happened to you?" Asami said. "How very childish. You can drop the charade, I know you are in no condition to perform a hellburst."

Akihito snorted. "Know what happens when you suppress a tremendous amount of magical force? It builds up beneath your skin and all the mana that was being held back is released ten times stronger. I may even be able to take out this whole building."

Asami's lip curled in amusement. "That bluff may have worked on the streets, but it won't here. Magic is not just a natural force, it's a science. And it has laws to be obeyed.

"Including the fact that recycling suppressed mana is only something high class mages and shamans are able to do, and you, pet, are neither. The mana will not be returning to your body, and all its power will be wasted."

Akihito's smug look faded and he bristled at Asami calling him something so demeaning. Even if Asami had seen through his bluff, Akihito would never submit to someone as filthy as him.

Asami took a step forward and snatched Akihito's chin, his black eyes boring into his captive's gaze.

"You should never underestimate an opponent," Asami said mockingly. "Especially when it's blatantly clear that he outclasses you in _every_ way."

Asami stepped back when Akihito wrenched away and threw a fist at his face, which Asami easily caught. Quickly and skillfully he yanked Akihito's arm and twisted it behind his back, pinning his wrist in between his shoulder blades.

The boy's teeth clamped down on his tongue as he fought to suppress a gasp of pain.

"Had enough yet?" Asami whispered into his ear. Akihito hitched as he felt Asami bite his outer ear, and in his helpless situation, his panicking mind surged with adrenaline, pushing him over the edge of reason. Asami's other arm snaked around his pet and as his fingertips ran over Akihito's lower lip, the boy suddenly struck like a snake. He sank his teeth in between Asami's forefinger and thumb viciously, his mind consumed by fight-or-flight syndrome.

Asami clenched his jaw and ripped his hand away from Akihito's mouth, blood already beginning to pool in the teeth marks. His eyes narrowed and he gripped the boy's arm harder, on the brink of breaking his wrist. Akihito yelped and began to violently struggle as pain clouded his mind. He tumbled forward as Asami deftly kicked him in the back of the knee, planting him face first on the ground. Tiny shards of glass bit his cheek as he lay there, still fighting against Asami's hold until a large hand wrapped itself around his neck.

"You're a much slower learner than I thought," Asami said, a fiercesome darkness beginning to creep into his voice. "I could have gone easy on you tonight, but it seems you enjoy making things far more difficult on yourself.

"What a cute little masochist," Asami grinned, his teeth gleaming like that of a predator.

Akihito's teeth began to chatter as fear further enveloped his mind, but he simply refused to give in.

"_Fuck you,_" he seethed, turning his head slightly to give Asami a vicious glare. Asami smiled and pressed his thumb against Akihito's windpipe, causing the anger in his eyes to dissipate as he choked for breath.

"I think it's time for me to show you who you belong to, pet," Asami chuckled. "And this time, I'll make sure you won't forget."

* * *

><p><strong>Yeah, yeah. I know it's been forever. But it was worth the wait right?...<strong>

**Next up we have more bondage with a bit of torture mixed in. As for what kind of torture, you'll just have to find out :) Thank you for reading and I hope to hear from everybody!**

**Bird Out**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 9**

**Bound**

Darkness enveloped Akihito, a merciless assailant who had thrown him into a realm of terror. It was like being dead, with no sense of time and little sense of space. Even as he tried to shift his limbs, they held fast, his body unable to obey him in his current state. But unlike the last time Asami had played with him, it wasn't drugs that knocked his reality askew, but rather, manipulation of his senses.

First, Asami had taken his eyes. The blinder over them obscured even the tiniest bit of light. Then, he had taken his voice. Stuffed a piece of cloth in his mouth and sealed it shut with duct tape.

And finally, he had reduced the world to complete silence with a pair of noise-canceling headphones. Even the air was heavy with the scent of incense, crippling his sense of smell.

Asami had reduced him to a worm, a being that solely relied on touch, and that realization terrified him till he was no longer capable of coherent thought. In a matter of minutes, the darkness had driven him mad.

Asami sat in a leather chair, his chin resting on the back of his hand as he feasted on the scene in front of him. Takaba lay naked on his stomach on a low sex couch, his upper body encased in a black straight jacket with his arms stretched in front of him. The curve of the furniture elevated his hips, displaying his ass quite prominently. His arms and ankles were chained to the sides of the couch, tastefully immobilizing him. Asami was rather pleased with this set-up and took his time enjoying the sight. Once in a while, Akihito would make a muffled grunt and squirm against his bonds, but it was all in vain. He couldn't even hear his own cries.

After a while, Asami stood, taking off his tie and dress shirt and leaning over his captive. He set his hand on top of Takaba's head, smiling as the youth jolted. The teeth marks on his hand were an angry red, and Asami was going to make sure this kitten was thoroughly punished for his defiance. He was thrilled with this prospect, as penance was the most tantalizing part of their play by far.

Asami took his hand away and waited an entire minute before ghosting his fingers along Akihito's thigh. Asami repeated this several times, lightly touching a different part of Takaba's body and then suddenly withdrawing until his toy was shaking in frustration.

_Smack!_

Akihito cried out as Asami slapped one of his ass cheeks, then leaned over to lick the reddening handprint on his flesh. Incorporating pain into the mix of tactile torture had pleasing results, and Asami mused over what state Akihito's mind was in. Oh how he would love to pick his brain right now.

Asami went over to a chest of drawers at the other side of the room and took several items out, thinking it high time to up the ante. Coating a textured vibrator in lube, he turned it on and set the toy on Akihito's lower back, enjoying Akihito's weak thrashing. No doubt even the memory of that buzzing sensation was triggering all kinds of delicious feelings in him.

Asami squeezed more lube in between his fingers and was teasingly rubbing at the youth's entrance when the phone suddenly rang. A menacing shadow crossed his eyes as he reached up and pressed the button on his ear piece.

"Asami-sama, forgive me for disturbing you, but this could not wait."

Some of the anger left his eyes as he heard Psych's voice. He knew she would not call unless it was a matter of extreme importance. But not wanting to waste time with his pet, Asami concluded that multi-tasking would be in order.

"Go ahead," he replied, sliding his finger into Akihito's cavern and probing around for his sweet spot. The youth's shoulders tensed and he shook his head in frustration.

"Ah, yes," Psych said. "One of our shadow runner teams just informed me that they've found Madoka's hideout. They are standing by for your orders."

"Excellent. Have them proceed without restraint. Madoka made the mistake of trying to pawn valuable information of mine and he will pay for it."

"Your orders, sir?"

"I want him eradicated in whatever manner suits their interest. My only request is that they don't do it too quickly," Asami murmured, smiling as Akihito clenched around his digit.

"Shall I have them stage a crime scene? A robbery perhaps?"

"No. A message needs to be sent with his death. Their top priority is to get that data back, but I have no objections to them looting the place so long as they are not seen."

"Very good, sir. I will let them know immediately."

"Thank you."

Psych paused briefly before speaking again. "You seem to be in a good mood tonight, sir."

Asami smiled, replacing his finger with two. "I suppose I am. Anything else?"

"No sir, good night."

The call dropped and Asami refocused his attention on Akihito. The youth's face was turning pink and he breathed heavily through his nose. He started when Asami withdrew his fingers and picked up the buzzing toy from his lower back. He held it in his hand for several minutes, building Takaba's anticipation to the point of anxiety and when he finally slid it in between the cleft of Akihito's ass, his captive practically screamed. Asami knew that sensory deprivation could make even the lightest touch excruciatingly intense, and he played that knowledge to his advantage, thrusting the toy inside Akihito's hole without hesitation.

As Asami drove the vibrator in and out, Takaba's breathing became more and more erratic and a few tears rolled out from underneath the blinder. Asami hummed in delight and let go of the toy, leaving it wedged in Akihito's cavern as he undid his belt and freed his stiff cock, slipping a condom over it. This time, he removed the toy and immediately filled Takaba, which was sure to overload his senses. Akihito's muffled screams echoed through the room as Asami took him fast and rough, the quick change in gears throwing the youth off even more.

As he continued his movements, Asami reached out and grabbed a handful of blond hair, wrenching his head back while the other hand adjusted one side of the headphones, lifting the pad away from Takaba's ear.

"Be a good boy," Asami whispered, making Akihito hitch in terror. "And submit to me."

Asami slowed, putting the headphones back in place and letting go of Akihito's hair as he waited for an answer. Oddly enough, Takaba was probably so disoriented that Asami didn't know how he would reply, but he was ready for both possible outcomes.

A few moments later, Akihito lifted his head and shook it from side to side, and Asami smiled, adjusting the headphones again so Akihito could hear him.

"Oh, so that's what you want? I suppose if you won't obey me, then I have no further use for you."

Akihito shrieked as Asami's hand forced his head down while the other went to his nose and pinched it shut. When his air was cut off, Akihito thrashed more violently than ever before, but bound as he was, could do nothing to save himself. Asami waited as his captive's struggles grew weaker and weaker. He knew timing would be the key to his success in this situation, but it had to be perfect.

Finally, he let go, and Akihito immediately began to hyperventilate, his face bright red from almost being suffocated. Asami pulled at a corner of the duct tape that covered Takaba's mouth and slowly ripped it off. He then pulled the rag out of his mouth and eyed him carefully as he greedily sucked in a breath. Thick drops of saliva spilled from Akihito's mouth as he sobbed, and his entire body quivered. Once he had caught his breath, Asami gripped his hips and resumed thrusting, drinking in the full volume of the youth's cries. When he was close to coming, Asami withdrew and walked over to the other side of the table, stripping off the condom and taking Akihito's head in his hands.

Takaba cried as his mouth was filled, and more tears rolled down his face as Asami drove his cock in and out. Asami hummed in pleasure as he came, spilling his seed into his pet's mouth. Without pulling out, he slipped the headphones off Takaba's ears and gave him a stern command.

"Swallow."

This time, Akihito obeyed, gasping for air when Asami finally withdrew and roughly stroked his tousled hair. Asami took off the blinder, smiling in triumph as he saw the youth's bioware eyes glazed and vacant.

Takaba Akihito had been broken.

* * *

><p><strong>Well, this was like the darkest thing I've ever written...<strong>**My cyberpunk story is turning into "Days without Sun." **

***uncomfortable laugh ***

**Big thanks to SageSapis for urging me to update :) hope it was worth the wait!**

**Cheers,**

**TBF101**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 10**

**Transformation**

The next morning, Psych was walking down the hall towards the door of Asami's penthouse, but despite the fact that she had much to do, her pace was slow. When Asami had shown up at the office today looking especially smug, it wasn't hard to figure out what had happened. And after a few inquiries, her suspicions were confirmed.

Psych had expected some backlash after disturbing the President last night with the phone call, even though they both knew it was entirely necessary. But Asami had only asked if Madoka had been successfully reduced to a pile of rotting flesh.

"Yes, sir," she replied, taking a small case off of a table and handing it to him. Inside was Madoka's left ring finger, complete with a custom ring that identified him as an important investor of Renraku. The shadow runner team had sent it by rush mail earlier as proof of their accomplishment.

"Strange," Asami murmured, setting the case down and peering out the window. "They usually send the whole hand."

"They apologize for the inconsistency," Psych replied. "But they went a little overboard and this was the most substantial piece of him they could find."

"No matter. Was the data retrieved?"

"Yes. It's in the hands of one of our deckers and should be back up on the Matrix mainframe soon."

Asami grunted in approval, toying with a fountain pen on his desk with a slight smile perched on his lips. His good mood was blatantly obvious and Psych decided it would be worth the risk to ask why.

"How did things go with Finder last night?"

Asami's eyes gleamed as he turned from the window. "He learned his lesson."

"You broke him? Already?"

"I thought it time to show him who he was really contending with. And now, we will proceed to phase two as planned."

Psych stopped in front of the penthouse door, ruminating for a few minutes before she went in. It had greatly surprised her that Asami suddenly pulled out all the stops and broke Finder's will in only a few days. Asami was a patient man, and he had spent months, even years, slowly breaking others and bending them to his command. Why had his patience with Finder expired so quickly?

Psych pursued her lips but shook it off. Although questioning the dark depths of her employer was endlessly fascinating, the path he'd chosen for Finder was of little consequence. The "why" didn't matter, it was time to move forward.

Psych tapped a few buttons on the door panel and scanned her retina, heading into the apartment. She spotted Finder almost immediately, curled up on one of the couches like a cat. But even in his sleep, he shifted and twitched restlessly, like he was having a nightmare. Psych stared at him for a few moments, noting that he was no longer wearing the collar that suppressed his mana. Finally, she carefully reached out and shook his shoulder.

"Finder."

The young man's eyes shot open and he jerked away from her touch quick as a blink. Even after his eyes focused and he realized who she was, his pulse was still racing. If Psych had doubted Asami's words in the slightest, one look from those blue cyberware eyes would have easily set her straight. Where once a great fire burned now only lay remnants of smoke. Finder had eyes like a dead person, with no trace of defiance, pride, or even anger. The only emotion they held was fear.

Akihito shakily dragged himself up, looking at her and waiting as she took a seat. The fact that he wasn't angry to see her was a good sign, though she had anticipated this. She suspected that Asami had used sensory deprivation to break him. In the aftermath of that, leaving him isolated in the penthouse would cause him to crave human contact, even with someone that he should have perceived as an enemy.

"How are you today, Finder?" she asked, crossing her legs.

Akihito blinked and stared down at his lap, seeming conflicted as how to answer. He shrugged noncommittally.

"Do you want to talk about what happened last night?"

Akihito's trembling lips pulled into a frown and Psych's gaze softened.

"It must have been frightening for you."

Akihito sucked in a long breath and finally responded. "He…he almost killed me. I've never been so scared in my entire life."

Psych nodded, encouraging him to continue.

Akihito raised his hands, staring at his palms as if in a trance. "I always thought that it wouldn't matter if I died so long as I kept my pride. I jumped off buildings, tracked dangerous people, and ran from gunfire, but I was never afraid to die. I almost thought that my life would have more meaning if I bit the dust in some dramatic way, so I accepted that fate.

"But, feeling my body dying last night, seeing death face to face, made me realize how horrifying it is. My pride can't save me. My magic can't save me. I can't do anything to save myself and it terrifies me!"

Akihito's hands clenched into fists and his teeth began to chatter as panic overtook him. "I don't want to die…I don't want to die…I don't want to die!"

Psych kept her face stoic as Finder chanted that mantra like a prayer of desperation, and fully aware of what she was doing, reached out and placed a hand on his knee.

"Finder," she said calmly. "There's no need for you to die so long as you obey."

Akihito's expression twitched between different emotions, wanting to believe but also wanting to retreat into madness. He finally looked her in the eye, his gaze filled with a strange, vacant frenzy.

"What do I do?"

"It's simple, really," she replied. "Asami-sama has plans for you. They just need to be carried out with your cooperation."

"But I…I don't know if I can. I'm so scared I can't even move."

"I realize that, and I have something that can help you."

Psych took a syringe in a tube from her pocket and held it in front of him. "If you want to live, Finder, I can help you. I can take away your fear. I can make you forget everything that ails you. But, you have to decide for yourself if that's what you really want."

Finder fixed his eyes on the syringe, the blue liquid inside seeming to call to him. It made him tantalizing promises that outweighed all the risks and sacrifices. It sung to him, and it wasn't long before he began dancing to its tune. Without taking his eyes away from it, he slowly stretched out his forearm, baring his wrist for its bite.

Psyche swabbed the area above his elbow with rubbing alcohol, then slid the needle into a vein, injecting the liquid into his body. It had been developed here in the labs at Renraku, and was nicknamed "Blur," and shortly after it began to seep through Finder's body, it did just that.

"Very good," she smiled as a hazy peace started to glaze Finder's eyes. "Now, it's time for us to get to work."

* * *

><p>(6 months later)<p>

Asami paced idly out of an elevator and walked out onto the balcony that wrapped around the top part of a floor inside the Renraku research building. Leaning against the guardrail was a man around Asami's age with grey hair and a blue uniform.

"Asami-sama," he said with a bow as the President approached.

"Light," Asami replied, peering over the guardrail down to the training field below where a single figure stood. "How is his progress?"

"Substantial," Light said, crossing his arms. "Not exactly a prodigy but he'll make a decent combat mage someday."

"I don't expect all my chess pieces to be rooks who can destroy everything in their path, Light," Asami said musingly.

Light chuckled. "You flatter me, though honestly I think of myself more as a bishop. Unlike our samurai, I prefer to manipulate my targets rather than plow through them in a single move."

"Fair enough. Now, I would like a demonstration."

"Yes sir," Light said, signaling down to the floor. A safety alarm rang and all the nearby personal braced themselves for a show.

"All right, Finder," Light called. "Let's see what you got. Perform Ram."

Finder turned to a metal file cabinet that was a few yards away and stared intently at it. Seconds later, the cabinet was struck by an invisible force that pounded dent after dent into it until it no longer retained its shape. The metal creaked and groaned as it was forced into a pile of junk resembling a balled up piece of paper.

"In addition to the new spells we've taught him," Light said as Finder flung the crushed object against the wall. "We've also used 'Surge' to increase his mana by forty percent."

"Were there any adverse side effects?" Asami said, knowing the complicated history of that particular drug.

"None, sir. We finally perfected the formula. It had some costly sacrifices, but what you see before you is the result. Finder, perform Poltergeist."

Finder stopped his assault on the remains of the cabinet and concentrated his mana again. Small objects and loose tiles from the floor rose into the air and began to swirl in a vortex around him till he was barely visible.

"Now, Finder," Light said with a slight smile. "Perform Hellburst."

Without letting the objects drop, Finder let out a small grunt and clasped his hands together. A red light came from in between them and his hands moved outward as a crackling ball of fire grew to the size of a basketball. With all his might, he launched it into the nearest wall, where it exploded into a fury of flames. The titanium chamber did not give way to his attack, but several people paused as they felt tremors under their feet. Even the air was warmer.

Light glanced back at Asami, carefully reading his expression. But upon seeing the proud glint in the President's eyes, he knew he would not have to worry.

"Excellent progress for such a short period of time," Asami said. "You've trained him well. Now it's just a matter of getting some experience under his belt."

Light bowed his head in gratitude. "I look forward to continuing my work with him, Asami-sama."

"Good. I must take my leave now. Have Finder sent back to my office when you finish for today. Oh yes, one more thing."

"Sir?"

"Tell Iwasawa to come see me immediately. I have an idea for the next phase of Finder's training."

* * *

><p>A short time later, Asami was in his office when a quiet knock came from the door.<p>

"Enter," he said, tossing a pile of papers to the far corner of his desk. A small man in a suit came inside, and despite the fact that he was a Renraku board member, he was distinctly nervous at being summoned to the President's office.

"What can I do for you, Asami-sama?" Iwasawa asked, keeping his voice even despite his fear.

"Iwasawa-san, I'm sure you are aware of the fact that I am training a new mage right now."

"I am, sir."

"I'm looking to introduce him to our combat force fairly soon, however his lack of experience is something I cannot overlook. So I would like for you to contact your son."

At this, Iwasawa's face went pale. "F—forgive me sir, but why? Surely you don't need to deal with the likes of him."

"He is the face of a Shadow runner team. In fact, a team that has carried out many successful missions. You needn't worry about the details, just tell him to come see me."

Iwasawa's face shifted uncomfortably, but he finally nodded.

"Good," Asami said. "I look forward to his arrival."

"Yes, Asami-sama. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some work I need to get to."

Asami nodded and watched musingly as Iwasawa headed out of the door, passing Psych as he left.

She glanced at his briefly and shut the door behind him. "What was that about?"

"I'm planning to use one of our Shadow runner teams to give Finder some battle experience."

Psych tilted her head. "Ah, the team led by Iwasawa's son. Why that one? If I recall, we've have some difficulty with him in the past."

"Yes, but a certain member of that team intrigues me, and I would like a closer look at how they operate. Finder's bioware eyes should take care of that."

Psych nodded. "Very good, sir. Finder is done with Light and is waiting outside."

"Send him in."

Rather than head back to the door, Psych only closed her eyes momentarily, and the office door opened. Finder silently came in, still wearing his black Kevlar training suit. Psych surveyed their newest mage carefully. Even after six months, the blatant change in him was fascinating.

Finder had been honed and shaped like a high-caliber weapon, both physically and mentally. He had been trained in firearms and combat in addition to magic, and had adapted to them very well. His mind had been stripped of unnecessary emotions like compassion or empathy, replaced with unwavering obedience to Asami.

After his first injection of Blur, the transformation had gone relatively smooth. Psych had used her talent of introspective magical psychotherapy to morph Finder's way of thinking, and supplementary drugs had been used to dull his memories till he no longer remembered life before coming to Renraku. In truth, Psych was rather proud of the magnum opus they had created, though she knew the initial credit belonged to Asami for breaking his will and paving a foundation for her to work with. At the heart of his training, they had instilled in Finder a simple truth that as long as he obeyed Asami, he would not die. Asami hadn't just become Akihito's master, he had become god.

"Your telepathy is improving," Psych commented as Finder shut the door.

He nodded, but a slight grimace crossed his face as he turned towards her. He put his hand to his temple, his eyes squinting shut.

"Are you still having headaches?" Psych asked, approaching him. Although the Surge and Blur drugs had the desired effects on Finder, they still caused him a bit of discomfort. But considering how other subjects had reacted to them, it was hardly a problem.

"Yes," Finder replied. "It's annoying."

"I'll prescribe you some more painkillers, but for now, I need to take my leave. Asami-sama has a few matters to discuss with you."

Psych left in short order and Finder turned towards Asami, who was peering out the window.

"I'm rather impressed with progress, Akihito," Asami said, his black eyes shifting towards his vassal.

"Thank you, sir."

"Upon seeing your grasp of magical conjuring, I'm of the opinion that it's time to put you to some use. I'm currently making arrangements for you to complete a joint mission with one of our Shadow Runner teams. Be sure to observe their tactics carefully."

"Yes, Asami-sama."

A hint of a smile crossed Asami's face at Akihito's immediate obedience. "Come here, pet."

Akihito stepped over as Asami swiveled his chair away from the desk, beckoning the mage to straddle his thighs. Despite his lack of emotion, a hunger began to gleam in Finder's eyes as Asami snaked an arm around his waist and palmed his firm ass. Combat had not been the only thing Akihito had learned in his time here. Asami had also honed his skills in sexual submission as well, and now Akihito craved his touch like a drug.

Finder braced his hands against Asami's chest as he was brought closer, his breaths quickening as Asami licked the outer shell of his ear.

"Such a good boy," Asami murmured. "I'll miss having you by my side, even for a short time. However, I'd like to ensure that you remember who your master is."

Asami reached for a small box in his desk drawer, and Akihito cocked his head curiously as he opened it. Inside were a few small tools as well as a shiny piece of jewelry set with a white diamond.

"Kneel."

Akihito slipped off Asami's lap and did as he was told. Asami removed a sterile metal clamp from the kit, as well as a thick needle.

"Open your mouth."

Akihito complied, panting a little like a dog as Asami took hold of his tongue with the clamp and pulled it out even further. A slight grunt came from him as Asami slid the needle into his tongue, and his eyes began to water as blood oozed from the wound. A long stream of saliva dripped from his mouth as Asami took the needle out and affixed the diamond tipped barbell into the weeping hole. He released the clamp and Akihito closed his mouth, smacking his lips a little as he tried to get used to the strange sensation.

"Do you feel that pain?" Asami asked, cupping Akihito's chin.

Akihito nodded.

"Remember that pain, and know that I will increase it a thousand-fold should anyone else lay their hands on you. You belong to me, and no one else can satisfy you but me."

"Yes, master," Akihito said, a bit of a lisp creeping into his voice from his swollen tongue.

"Good. You may heal yourself now."

Akihito summoned his mana and directed it towards his mouth. The wound healed itself instantly, taking all traces of pain with it.

"What do you say?" Asami said teasingly.

"Thank you, Asami-sama."

Asami's dark smile returned. "Very good. Now, why don't you use that pretty mouth to satisfy me?"

Without hesitation, Akihito scooted closer to his master and undid his belt. Soft sighs echoed in the office as the blazing sun began to set, bathing the walls in red and heralding the return of night.

* * *

><p><strong>So we're going the "Requiem for a Phantom" route here, what with the brainwashing. I know a few of you are confused about the plot right now, but everything will be made clear in future chapters. Though I can say right now that the difference between the last chapter and when Asami had Akihito trippin' balls after the first lemon is that Asami desires submission, but not weakness. Take that for what you will. <strong>

**I will also say that if the story is too dark for your taste, turn back now. It's not really going to get better. Though I find listening to Weird Al's song "Party in the CIA" really helps the mood, though that's probably just because I had it on repeat while I wrote this... **

**My gaming group is actually working on our characters for another Shadow Run campaign, and I'm going to be playing Psych. Should be super fun to play an intellectual character for once instead of going for the heavy hitter. Interestingly, last week while we were making up our characters, (which is a long and tedious process) one of our players actually said something I thought to be very fitting for this story, in conjunction to another player wanting to play an "ethical" decker. **

**"Ethics? There's no such thing as ethics in Shadow Run."**

**I've never heard the game summed up so well.**

**Finderlov, duhorcommonsense, Jade Rojo, SageSapis, Vivist, blackhorse13, SPB Wolf, Neko-fire demon tempest- Thanks for the awesome reviews! Hope to keep hearing from you!**

**Marxou- Asami is not bipolar. He's an evil ass Mafia boss. **

**Don't Preach- Can I say I'm tickled and pleased by the fact that I could surpass your expectations of me, dearest? Your reviews make me sing! Or write, I guess... **

** New chapter out soon! Thanks for reading!**

**TBF101**


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